When ever I fancy anything English this is the restaurant I always go to. Debbie is always so welcoming and the food is really fantastic. I had fish and chips the other night and the batter was so light and non greasy, proper chips made from fresh potatoes and even mushy peas. Washed down with an ice cold beer. Yummy

Monday, 25 May 2009

Well that is what they are calling it. On the West Bank just opposite the Sheraton Hotel,it is a charming little resturant with a small hassle free bazaar, animal attractions and a laid back atmosphere. Hubby and I went there the other day for lunch and had a really nice time.

Sunday, 24 May 2009

Another of the Amelia Edwards Projects, the Karnak Land and Waterscapes Survey, was led in the field during March and April by Angus Graham. Members’ donations allowed Angus to continue the study of ceramic material with the aim of shedding further light on the possibility that the temples of Karnak were built on an island. The significance of the project’s findings is clearly recognised by other teams in the area now, with the result that Angus has also looked at a variety of other issues connected with the relationship between the river and archaeological sites in the East and West, and the team’s interpretations are already causing us to revise our understanding of the development of the region’s monuments.

Saturday, 23 May 2009

I think one of the things I love about living in Egypt is the timelessness of the life. On my course we recently had to research the diet of the Ancient Egyptian and I found myself looking at what they eat now against what they ate then.

The main carbohydrate in ancient Egypt was bread, in Luxor bread is not called by the Arabic word for bread khoubz but ayish which means life. I am convinced this is a throwback to pharaonic times. Every meal bread is served. It is made in the home and rises in the sun which gives it the name sun bread. Other items you see in tomb painting are part of the normal diet here cucumber, dates, pomegranates, figs, grapes, ducks, chickens, quails, enormous spring onions (see the tomb of Roy for a great example), garlic. The first time I saw a cow being butchered it was tied up in exactly the same way at the tomb and temple depictions.So nothing has changed but not just in food.

On my roof we have some pots in stands that have plants in them, I was recently in the British Museum and looking at the paintings of Nebamun and exactly the same pots and stands were in the paintings. You often see large pots at the sides of the road which are communal and the design is identical to the ancient pots which were no doubt used in exactly the same wayWhen you are going along you will often see mud brick structures with rush/grass tops. It looks like the plant is growing out of the top of the wall. It reminds you so strongly of the pylon with the curved cornice. Small shelters made in the fields replicate those shown in tombs on boats going to Abydos.

Mud brick is still made exactly like it is depicted in the tomb of Rekhmire, it is a fantastic material for coping with the temperature in Egypt, cool in summer warm in winter, completely durable in the climate here.

Outside my flat there is a large field and when they plant wheat and crop it afterwards you see women gleaning the fallen grains. It is still scythed by hand and looks exactly like the picture in the tomb of Sennedjem at Deir el Medina Animals are moved on the land to clear it and fertilise it.

Barry Kemp says that you cannot study Ancient Egypt without studying modern Egypt and I so agree. When I came here first in 1979 you could still see the shaduf working, this is a pole with a container one end and a weight the other, perfectly balanced it enables water to be scooped out of a canal into an irrigation ditch. For 5,000 years this was the principle method of moving water to the fields. It is fascinating to see so much of daily life still going on.

If you come to Egypt see how many things you can see that have come from pharaonic times

Friday, 15 May 2009

I work for Markettiers and currently we are working with the Brooke Charity. They have released a code of conduct in regards to horse and donkeys abroad particularly in Jordan and Egypt, so I hoped maybe you could flag this issue?As we all know in some countries bartering is part of the culture. However, in this current climate, although people are looking for cheaper destinations and holidays overall, Brooke are trying to highlight the difference paying one extra pound, or just not bartering down to the lowest price, can make to the donkey. In short, the lower the price a tourist pays, the longer that donkey will be made to work so the keeper can make enough money to survive. Another aspect of the code is simple tips such as not riding on a donkey when you are clearly too big for it, or putting two people on a donkey, as this can cause the animals stress. We have some quite poignant footage also.If you think you can highlight this story in some way, publish it in full or use the video and write your own editorial, it would be much appreciated.Thank you in advance, if you have any questions please contact me, or if you think you can use the story in part or in full please let me know so I can keep track of where the information goes.Speak soon.Best,LouiseFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Life's no beach for holiday donkeysShock footage reveals animals are paying the price for cheap rides and overweight tourists Hundreds of thousands of horses and donkeys are suffering overseas due to tourists, yet many British holidaymakers are unaware of their impact and how to act responsibly when they encounter working animals abroad. While British beach donkeys are regulated - no passengers over eight stone, a day off each week and a one hour lunch break - overseas it is a different story.Egypt and Jordan have been recognised by the Brooke, the UK's leading overseas equine welfare charity, as popular tourist destinations that widely use horses and donkeys for tourist trade. With recent ONS statistics showing that the number of Brits travelling to Jordan doubled last year and that nearly half a million British people travelled to Egypt within the first nine months of 2008, it is important that British travellers are aware of the issues concerning the use of working animals abroad.Horses and donkeys are used to taxi tourists across difficult and dangerous terrain to historical landmarks. The animals are often over-worked, under-watered and under-fed, and have the added burden of frequently carrying passengers who are too heavy for them. Haggling is common as credit crunch tourists negotiate rock bottom prices and quibble over the last pound. Owners, whose livelihoods are dependent on these earnings, are often left short changed and are tempted to overwork the animals in their desperation to bring in enough money to feed their family. The Brooke has released video footage and images from popular British tourist destinations including the Temples of Luxor and the Ancient City of Petra, showing that many tourists disregard the welfare of animals whilst they have fun in the sun.Click here see the video:http://ifp.howto.tv/player/m4dccf19f67c2c5d6629d7c7ff967467736eThe Brooke is calling on all tourists to take action against this anguish by following a simple code when using working horses and donkeys abroad. Key points include:-• Match your size with the size of the animal - if you are heavy or tall, think whether a small donkey can really take your weight • Pay a fair price for a ride - bargaining means the animal will have to work harder and longer to bring in an income• One person per animal when riding• The number of people shouldn't exceed the number of wheels when using a carriage horse• Don't be distracted by decorations - check for hidden sores, wounds or prominent bonesKimberly Wells, from the Brooke's Animal Welfare Team, who wrote the code states: "It may seem obvious, but it's being ignored. We see first hand the painful results - exhaustion, injuries, dehydration, heat stress, beatings and wounds - overworked animals suffering for tourism.Tourists can have a hugely positive impact on how communities treat their animals so we are urging them to play their part and work with us to reduce animal suffering across the world. Every tourist has the power to reduce animal affliction - both by following these simple guidelines and also by flagging up concerns to local authorities and tour operators, which will encourage a needed change in poor animal welfare practices."The Brooke's lifesaving work helps ease animal suffering across the developing world while supporting the livelihoods of the owners who depend on their animals to bring in an income.For more information or to see the code in full visit www.thebrooke.org/travel

This 3 year programme provides opportunity for serious, academic study of Egyptology at one of the leading Universities in the U.K. It is led by an internationally recognised scholar and draws upon the important Egyptological collections of the University's Museum and Library. This well-established and highly regarded Certificate has been completely revised and restructured for delivery on-line via the Blackboard Virtual e-learning platform. The new format will provide stimulating and attractive learning materials, opportunity for structured study of museum collections, tutor support and contact with other students through online discussion groups and discussion boards.

Year 1From Predynastic Egypt to the Hyksos PeriodYear 2From the beginning of the New Kingdom to the establishment of Dynasty 19Year 3From the Later New Kingdom to the Arab conquestThe study of hieroglyphs will form an integral part of the course

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Actually this tomb provided part of my art essay as it has a great example of mutilated heiroglyphics. You can visit it if you buy a ticket to the Assasif at the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri. You then wander out of the carpark towards a guardians hut set on a slight rise behind the tomb of Pabasa shouting hello. The guardians eventually hear and will then take you to the tomb. It has some quality carvings like Ramose but gets hardly any visitors. Well worth it.

> Dear friends,> The tomb of Kheruef, TT192, is now available on OsirisNet, with 170 photos> and drawings.> http://www.osirisnet.net/tombes/nobles/kheru/e_kherouef_01.htm> The tomb of the steward of the Great Royal Wife Tiy had initially been> designed to be immense. Also a special page is dedicated to a numerical> assessment of the work required.> The decor is of a very beautiful quality, and the tomb, which is located > at> the pivotal point between the reign of Amenhotep III and that of his son> Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) has great historic importance.>> Enjoy>> Thierry BENDERITTER & Jon HIRST> www.osirisnet.net> Monuments of Egypt

Looks like Dr Melinda Hartwig and her team should be finishing their work at the tomb really soon. She seemed very excited and pleased with the results so I recommend a visit as soon as the tomb reopens.

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UK - co-owner of Flats in Luxor Group. British in origin, Egyptian at heart. First visited Egypt in 1979 and finally got to move here in 2003. Been there, done it and got the t-shirt(IT Consultant, PCG Chairman, ex cult member). Finally living my dream: Egyptology (doing an online Egyptology course at Manchester Uni), sunshine, cold beer and Mahmoud. What more could a girl want?